There are plenty of opportunities for learning in Providence. Providence contains six of the state’s 14 colleges and universities.

They include Providence College, Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Johnson and Wales, University of RI, and Rhode Island College.

These institutions offer wonderful non-degree adult education classes for life-long learners and they enrich the city with museums and artistic performances.

Here’s an overview of what makes each institution unique. More to come on details of each one!

Providence College is a private Catholic college: the only college or university in the U.S. operated by the Dominican Friars, offering 49 different majors.

The Providence College School of Continuing Education offers flexible ways to achieve a degree on a part-time basis. They also allow auditing of classes for personal enrichment.

Brown University is the oldest school in the state -founded before the American Revolution (1764)! It is a private school and one of the eight schools that make up the Ivy League. The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeast. The Ivy Leagues schools also have reputations for providing excellent education.

They have three schools: undergraduate, graduate and a medical school (I worked in the medical school for 5 years.) They have an amazing continuing education program and catalog offering lectures and courses by noted scholars.

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a private arts college for artists, designers and art educators.

The college owns the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, founded in 1877.

Johnson and Wales University is well known for its culinary Arts program as well as business and hospitality programs. This private university is located in four states -the Providence campus is the main campus.

Johnson and Wales is the largest food service educator in the nation. Many of their graduates remain in Providence after graduating, opening new restaurants or serving as chefs (lucky us!) The following Providence restaurants are either owned by J&W grads or have chefs that graduated from this school:

Blaze East Side, Bluefin Grille, Café Nuovo, Caffe Dolce Vita, Capital Grille, Capriccio, Cassarino’s Ristorante, Citron Bistro,India Restaurant, Kabob & Curry, McCormick & Schmick’s, Mill’s Tavern, Napa Valley Grille (in the Providence Place Mall), Nick’s on Broadway, Pane e Vino, Shula’s 347 Grill, Siena South Street Café, Ten Prime Steak & Sushi, Waterplace, and XO Steak House

I graduated from the University of Rhode Island (URI), the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in South Kingston, and three other campuses located throughout the state, including Providence’s Feinstein Campus.

The downtown campus hosts an Urban Arts and Culture Program which presents a diverse spectrum of visual and performing arts programming in their gallery (open to the public).

The university offers 80 majors through 10 schools. URI also offers non-credit professional development classes.

Rhode Island College (RIC) was established in 1854 as the Rhode Island State Normal School to provide teacher preparation. In the 1950′s it expanded its role as an institution of higher education.

RIC offers 90 undergraduate and 30 graduate academic programs including management, education, nursing, and social work, as well as in the performing and fine arts. Academic offerings are provided through five schools.

The Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, at Rhode Island College, offers music, theater and dance education programs as well as professional performing artists and a wide range of community group activities.

If you live in Providence, go ahead and learn something new or check out some art or music performances.

The colleges and universities of Providence have a history filled with ghost stories …it’s fun to know some lore when you visit.

If you’re a visitor you may just find a fascinating lecture being offered while you’re here. Definitely check out the RISD museum. It’s a jewel.